Poinsettia plant named ‘PER1360’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER1360’, characterized by its uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely and upright branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; under natural season conditions, plants flower on or about November 10 in Southern California; large inflorescences with medium red-colored flower bracts; and good post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER1360’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘PER1360’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new uniform Poinsettia plants having largeinflorescences with attractive flower bracts and excellentpost-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in December, 2007 of a proprietary selection of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. identified as code number PX 14002, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent, with Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.‘PER2804’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,295, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inEncinitas, Calif. in December, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif.since February, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this newPoinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘PER1360’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘PER1360’ as a new and distinct Poinsettiaplant:

-   -   1. Uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely and upright branching habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Under natural season conditions, plants flower on or about        November 10 in Southern California.    -   6. Large inflorescences with medium red-colored flower bracts.    -   7. Good post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants ofthe new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the female parentselection in flower bract color as plants of the female parent selectionhave darker red-colored flower bracts than plants of the new Poinsettia.In addition, plants of the female parent selection flower about fourdays earlier than plants of the new Poinsettia.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants ofthe new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the male parent,‘PER2804’, in leaf and flower bract color as plants of ‘PER2804’ havelighter green-colored leaves and brighter red-colored flower bracts thanplants of the new Poinsettia. In addition, plants of ‘PER2804’ flowerabout eight days earlier than plants of the new Poinsettia.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘Peterstar’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,259.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants ofthe new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘Peterstar’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more vigorous than plants        of ‘Peterstar’.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had a more upright branching        habit than plants of ‘Peterstar’.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves        than plants of ‘Peterstar’.    -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about 15 days earlier        than plants of ‘Peterstar’.    -   5. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘Peterstar’ differed in        flower bract color as plants of ‘Peterstar’ had bright        red-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘490’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,825. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of thenew Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘490’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more vigorous than plants        of ‘490’.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had a more upright branching        habit than plants of ‘490’.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about eight days        earlier than plants of ‘490’.    -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘490’ differed in flower        bract color as plants of ‘490’ had dark red-colored flower        bracts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘PER1360’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘PER1360’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the followingdetailed description were grown during the late autumn/early winter in16.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas,Calif. and under natural season conditions and cultural practicestypical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production ofthe plants, day temperatures averaged 26° C., night temperaturesaveraged 18° C. and light levels averaged 5,000 foot-candles.Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typicalflowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were 21 weeks oldwhen the photographs and the description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER1360’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number PX 14002, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.            ‘PER2804’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,295.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About seven to ten days at night            temperatures about 20° C. and day temperatures about 27° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            night temperatures about 20° C. and day temperatures about            27° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit and form.—Uniform, upright and mounded plant            habit; inverted triangle; large inflorescences positioned            above the foliar plane; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 42 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 57.5 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching            habit, about eight lateral branches develop after pinching;            upright branching habit. Length: About 38 cm. Diameter:            Thick, about 9 mm. Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Strength:            Strong. Aspect: About 30° from vertical. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Luster: Glossy. Color: More green than 146A.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 12.5 cm. Width: About 10 cm. Shape: Ovate,            occasionally with broad lobes. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Mostly            truncate, occasionally with cordate tendencies. Margin:            Mostly entire, occasionally with broad lobes. Aspect: Flat.            Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly rugose. Color:            Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker            green than N137A or 147A; venation, close to 146A.            Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to N137B to N137C; midvein, close to 146B and lateral veins,            close to 146B to 146C tinged with close to 187A. Petioles:            Length: About 6.8 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 187A to 187B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Terminal inflorescences are            compound corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts            subtending the cyathia; inflorescences uniformly positioned            above the foliar plane.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants            typically flower on or about November 10 in Southern            California; under artificial long nyctoperiod/short            photoperiod conditions, plants flower about seven to eight            weeks later.        -   Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity;            plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and            flower bract color for about four to six weeks under            interior conditions; flower bracts persistent and cyathia            not persistent.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 33.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence height (depth).—About 4.5 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 24. Length,            largest bracts: About 15.5 cm. Width, largest bracts: About            12 cm. Shape: Ovate; occasionally with broad lobes. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire, occasionally with            broad lobes and occasionally with serrations. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; mostly flat            to slightly rugose. Aspect: Mostly horizontal; older bracts,            drooping. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color:            Developing or transitional bracts, upper surface: Ground            color, darker green than N137A or 147A; irregular and random            sectors, close to brighter and more intense red than 45B.            Developing or transitional bracts, lower surface: Ground            color, close to 146A; irregular and random sectors, close to            45A. Fully expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to 45B;            color does not fade with development. Fully expanded bracts,            lower surface: Duller red than 45B; color does not fade with            development. Bract petioles: Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter:            About 3.25 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 187B. Color, lower            surface: Close to 146A.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 15. Length: About 8 mm.            Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Oval. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, inner surface: Close to 144A. Color, outer surface:            Close to 144A; towards the apex, close to 53A.        -   Nectaries.—Quantity per cyathium: One. Length: About 7 mm.            Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Roughly oval. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 17A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium:            About 20. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close            to 154D. Anther shape: Round; bi-lobed. Anther length: Less            than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 9A. Amount of pollen: None            observed. Pistils: Pistil development has not been observed            on plants of the new Poinsettia.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Poinsettia plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to about    29° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER1360’ asillustrated and described.